What your mother tongue is does not have to determine how successful you will be at learning at learning another language. Lilian and Benito are excellent examples of this.
Both of them arrived in Valencia without knowing any Spanish, and from the very beginning they regularly attended the classes provided by the Languages Service. Both of them progressed rapidly, but for different reasons.
Lilian’s native language is English and, before she started learning Spanish, she knew some French, which is a Romance language with a Latin base, just like Spanish. The similarities between these languages enabled her to make quick progress learning Spanish.
Benito was not able to draw on any prior knowledge of a language similar to Spanish, but he still made quick progress. In his case, his great determination to use the language he was learning outside the classroom was a key factor. He tells us about his experience in this video.
In the video, Benito also talks about his experience taking the official SIELE Global Spanish exam, a good option for anyone looking to gain official recognition of their ability in Spanish. The SIELE Global certificate is just as valid and internationally recognized as a DELE certificate, which is the option Lilian chose. Both examinations are offered by the Instituto Cervantes and can be taken at CEU UCH. If you are interested in doing either the SIELE Global or a DELE exam, come and ask us about them at the Languages Service, or visit our webpage: https://www.uchceu.es/servicios/idiomas/acreditacion.